Middle Part: Grañon – Leon (245km)

The middle part of El Camino de Santiago may be the hardest and it’s definitely the most psychological one. Now el camino is crossing the meseta (high plains) and that means that you’ll be walking through infinite plains extensions along a straight path surrounded by wheat fields of sunflower fields. There is no shade, no trees, and in summer months days are roasting, but in winter they are freezing. The landscape is pure and beautiful but monotonous, and some times exasperating, at the same time.

Many pilgrims just skip this part taking a bus from Burgos to Leon. I think that’s a big error, because in my opinion this part gives the meaning to El Camino de Santiago. It’s now, with the monotonous landscapes, when pilgrims start looking at their interior, to concentrate in exploring themselves. Sometimes walking this part may be more a mental effort than a physical one.

Having said that the landscapes are monotonous I’m not meaning they are not beautiful. For me they represent the beauty of the deserted infinity, huge open spaces, high blue skies, straight lines, straight horizons, and impressive, majestic red sunrises and sunsets without a cloud in the sky. Above all, it’s here, in this austere nature, when I’ve most appreciated the beauty of small things.

This part of el Camino de Santiago can be completed in 9, 10 or 11 days. Following, there are the stages that I followed with some photos and info for each one.